The next day, Elk Grove police found more than 2,000 pot plants growing inside five tract houses in Elk Grove.

How do you know your neighbors are growing pot in their second-story study? A neglected house with painted windows was once a sure sign. Elk Grove Police Officer Chris Trim says rules of the game change as the culprits adapt.

New rules:

Don't assume that your neighborhood of expansive mansions with impeccable landscaping makes you immune to THE TROUBLE NEXT DOOR.

If you don't see the people next door for months at a time, it could mean TROUBLE NEXT DOOR.

If you're awakened by hammering and sawing or other ambitious interior construction activity during the night, TROUBLE NEXT DOOR could be building.

Vans and trucks could be delivering TROUBLE NEXT DOOR if they haul in an unusual amount of lighting equipment, irrigation supplies, air ducts and fans.

If neighbors generate so much trash it's thrown to the curb in stacks of plastic bags, it could be a sign of TROUBLE NEXT DOOR.

The best way to thwart TROUBLE NEXT DOOR is to introduce yourself to new neighbors, "get a read on them," Trim said.

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Sacto 9-1-1 Q&A

Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues. QUESTION: A couple of years ago, a Sacramento tax attorney named Roni Deutch was the target of an investigation by the California Department of Justice. She was accused of bilking clients out of millions and defying a court (Read More)